ON SITE: The British embassy

Eric Liskey, technical editor

Embassy Row, Washington, D.C. The words evoke images of diplomats,
limousines and formal state ceremonies. Thus, you might expect embassies to
maintain an especially attractive appearance. They are, after all, the
official presence of sovereign states. Yet, a stroll down Embassy Row
quickly shows that most embassy landscapes are not a high priority. The
grounds of most are disappointingly simple, even neglected. Amid such
scenery, the grounds of the British embassy are a refreshing respite from
the surrounding mediocrity.

As you approach the embassy, an imposing bronze of Winston Churchill leaves
little doubt about whose ambassador lives here. And once inside the embassy
walls, the appearance is not unlike what you might expect of an English
estate: classical columns, rose gardens and perennial borders. Ironically,
the groundskeeper responsible for this piece of English heritage is Kerry
Blockley, a native New Zealander (well, New Zealand is part of the
Commonwealth). Assisting him is American Sandy Flowers.

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Blockley has been maintaining and improving the embassy grounds for most of
his working life, creating a landscape he unabashedly feels may be the best
of any embassy. A quick look around tells you that this is no empty boast.
The embassy's 8 acres--a remarkably large piece of land in Washington,
D.C.--include ornamental plantings that comprise more than 2,000 azaleas,
as many perennials (consisting of about 100 varieties), 1,200 roses and
several thousand annuals in addition to about 60,000 square feet of
perennial ryegrass turf. Plant connoisseurs will feel at home here.

Blockley works to add accents that grab the visitor's attention. He's
training hornbeam trees to form a "circle in the round," or aerial hedge
(see photo, page 52). A small Japanese garden is another specialized
project Blockley is developing. And what formal landscape would be truly
complete without a water feature? Seemingly anticipating the question,
Blockley had one under construction at the time of my visit.

When he's not busy designing and planting gardens for the Crown, Blockley
performs less glamorouswork, as any groundskeeper inevitably must. Wild
strawberry, clover and nutsedge are persistent turf weeds, so pest controls
are as necessary here as anywhere else. Blockley uses Dow AgroSciences'
Confront for broadleaf weeds and Monsanto's Manage for the nutsedge,
getting good performance from both. Though not necessarily averse to
synthetic products, Blockley exclusively uses Nature Safe 8-3-5 on his
turf. Combined with aggressive aeration, the turf thrives with this
program. Although Blockley doesn't use a turf pre-emergent, he sees little
trouble from annual weeds.

Excessive wear is a problem for heavily used turf areas on the embassy
grounds. To alleviate such problems, Blockley uses Turface and Profile,
both clay-based granular products, as soil amendments. After aerating
compacted turf areas, he topdresses with these products, filling the
aeration holes. These pockets act as reservoirs, supplying roots in the
surrounding soil with oxygen and moisture. Granular clay-based products
are, Blockley feels, superior to sand as amendments because the clay
granules provide similar structure and aeration but hold far more nutrients
and water.

Greenhouses and interiorscaping also fall under Blockley's
responsibilities. Among other things, Blockley uses the greenhouses for
rotating interior plants, including orchids, ferns and other tropicals.
Additionally, he grows some of the embassy's bedding, although he
outsources most of it.

Many historically significant events undoubtedly occur behind these walls,
most about which we'll never hear. However, the grounds here also hold some
more visible history. In the days following the tragic death of Princess
Diana, crowds quietly gathered at a hastily erected shrine outside the
embassy walls. Peoples' obvious affection for the late princess makes more
significant a maple tree ceremonially planted by Prince Charles and Diana
on these grounds before their divorce. Thanks to Blockley, that tree grows
in surroundings fit to honor royalty.